That Morally Superior Persona

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PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#1
How important should our care be for our public persona? Do you tend to push back, or have you arrived at a happy medium or, openly aggressive over good works? Depends? For starters, two instances in GW tend to be quite direct yet handled differently:

Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Matt 6:1)

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:19)

Both instances in the above have a broad potential for where a good work to occur.

Source: beatitudes, two paramount commandments, un-common Christian love (Matt 5:3-11, 22:40, Jn 13:34)
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
63,471
32,134
113
#2
Matthew 6:1 is not saying don't do anything that can be seen. It is addressing the motivation for what is done.
 
K

keepingthingsreal

Guest
#3
For me, personally, the following verse of scripture is the death knell for pride or a sense of moral superiority.

1Co 4:7
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

If there is anything good in us, then we have received it from the Lord. In other words, there is no real room for boasting or for an air of moral superiority on our parts. If we humbly recognize this, then we will also humbly seek to present the gospel to others, and we will also do our good works before men with a genuine air of humility about us.

The other extreme?

Well, that would be pride or an unreasonable sense of moral superiority, and we all know where that leads.

Pro 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Pro 18:12
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
17,556
747
113
#4
How important should our care be for our public persona? Do you tend to push back, or have you arrived at a happy medium or, openly aggressive over good works? Depends? For starters, two instances in GW tend to be quite direct yet handled differently:

Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. (Matt 6:1)

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:19)

Both instances in the above have a broad potential for where a good work to occur.

Source: beatitudes, two paramount commandments, un-common Christian love (Matt 5:3-11, 22:40, Jn 13:34)
Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Watch out for the Leaven of people! Thanks
 

GRACE_ambassador

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2021
3,420
1,828
113
Midwest
#5
Since I know that I could never be "morally Superior" To God, then my only option is:

humility Towards Him:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the Mercies of God, that ye present your​
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.​
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your​
mind, that ye may prove what is that Good, and Acceptable, and Perfect, Will of God.​
For I say, Through The Grace Given Unto me, to every man that is among you, not to​
think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according​
as God Hath Dealt to every man the measure of faith."​
(Romans 12:1-3 AV)​

Amen.
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#6
Since I know that I could never be "morally Superior" To God, ,''
Hopefully, none on CC, think I would be surprised. Yes, I purposefully ran up the title to the preverbial point of the public reward seeker. Something most would never bring ourselves to aside from some critical need of one's neighbor.
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#7
Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Watch out for the Leaven of people! Thanks
Something to be said of that one surely. Once I came to remain to trust on Christ my righteousnes, I found out, it didn't matter if I wanted to be a benefactor publicly somewhere since the matter of righteousness was already met. I could enjoy helping some need without caring what the world thought. :)
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#8
For me, personally, the following verse of scripture is the death knell for pride or a sense of moral superiority.

1Co 4:7
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

If there is anything good in us, then we have received it from the Lord. In other words, there is no real room for boasting or for an air of moral superiority on our parts. If we humbly recognize this, then we will also humbly seek to present the gospel to others, and we will also do our good works before men with a genuine air of humility about us.

The other extreme?

Well, that would be pride or an unreasonable sense of moral superiority, and we all know where that leads.

Pro 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Pro 18:12
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
Right to draw up concerns of pride. Is it not the 'need' of self-performance to justify one's presence or progress?
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#9
Matthew 6:1 is not saying don't do anything that can be seen. It is addressing the motivation for what is done.
Right! Else the good Samaritan would have to keep his services entirely remote. :)
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#10
‘’So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.’’ (Matt 6:2)

‘’As comprehending all other righteous acts, as particularly [streetcorner] alms, prayer, and fasting, hereafter mentioned; but alms only; nothing being more common with the Jews than to call alms "righteousness", , this was the word Christ used.’’ – Gill

I don’t doubt that today, our culture is steeped with a hypocrite’s heart; an ongoing pretense of celebrities, teachers, news anchors, journalists, even your local community pillars of renown can be seen and heard exhibiting false righteousness with some obvious intent of advantage. Some, amusingly accusing others of ‘taking the moral high-ground’. Wondering, if the Church itself might develop dull hearing to its presence.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
17,556
747
113
#11
Right to draw up concerns of pride. Is it not the 'need' of self-performance to justify one's presence or progress?
I think the need to be liked, in charge to keep one from being controlled by others
Many motives behind the scenes of anything. See what Solomon asked God over it all "Wisdom" to help the people win truth, over everything else, Amazing, remembering this, Solomon still not perfect either, none of us are, and we beat ourselves up over the smallest sin, even though sin is sin.
might be best to go to God Father and pray over your own desires to know one's own motive for doing things, whether good or bad you think? and remain harmless still
I see mostly everyone that does anything and everything always has a particular reason. Ever ask what was Jesus's reason to go to that cross willingly, Could he have stopped that? Yes, yet didn't. Seeing it was for us too rest in his done work (Which I didn't do, now do rest), not take it for granted. At least me, thanks
Search out our own selves, find out if we have a board, boards, a speck in our own eyes, then we might be able to see to trust God to do the done work of Son though us best as in Luke 21:14-15 tells me at least. Die to self as that woman did in Luke 21:1-13
Luke 21:14
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luke 21:15
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
 

lrs68

Active member
Dec 30, 2024
675
215
43
#12
Basically there's a theme amongst these scriptures which state, "if someone is in need whether it's hunger, clothing, money and the Holy Spirit of God instructs you to help...". When you help them do it in humbleness and not pias like look at me I am so holy.

I pull the person aside and away from everyone and then help. And the person on the corner because I give from sitting in my car I'm hidden from most people.
 

Brasspen

Active member
Sep 14, 2024
511
246
43
#13
I don’t doubt that today, our culture is steeped with a hypocrite’s heart; an ongoing pretense of celebrities, teachers, news anchors, journalists, even your local community pillars of renown can be seen and heard exhibiting false righteousness with some obvious intent of advantage. Some, amusingly accusing others of ‘taking the moral high-ground’. Wondering, if the Church itself might develop dull hearing to its presence.
Something I wanted to say when I read your quote. Most people no it's just show when the are giving to charity or none-profit. But the people praise and worship them anyways, so that those celebrities and rich people will still donate. Their false charity is getting false praise.
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#14
Something I wanted to say when I read your quote. Most people no it's just show when the are giving to charity or none-profit. But the people praise and worship them anyways, so that those celebrities and rich people will still donate. Their false charity is getting false praise.
My guess on that? Moral superiority MS slips in concurrent as well at times.
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#15
Basically there's a theme amongst these scriptures which state, "if someone is in need whether it's hunger, clothing, money and the Holy Spirit of God instructs you to help...". When you help them do it in humbleness and not pias like look at me I am so holy.

I pull the person aside and away from everyone and then help. And the person on the corner because I give from sitting in my car I'm hidden from most people.
Ohh, an insightful regain, and humbleness is not to be confused with weakness.
 

PAC-fit

Active member
Sep 20, 2018
480
191
43
#16
Search out our own selves, find out if we have a board, boards, a speck in our own eyes, then we might be able to see to trust God to do the done work of Son though us best, ,''
No small token there as there are many''boards'' in the blind woodpile.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
17,556
747
113
#18
Basically there's a theme amongst these scriptures which state, "if someone is in need whether it's hunger, clothing, money and the Holy Spirit of God instructs you to help...". When you help them do it in humbleness and not pias like look at me I am so holy.

I pull the person aside and away from everyone and then help. And the person on the corner because I give from sitting in my car I'm hidden from most people.
Do all without wanting to be noticed, not carting to be noticed, thanks, Father who knows all secrets openly rewards each.
My left hand need not know what my right hand does or not does, or does it? I guess we each get to decide this do we not, thanks
What is in your Head? God knows and that to me gives me rest even in adversities, to not have to know yet know God knows, wow. woe is me thanks for the reminder
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
17,556
747
113
#19
No small token there as there are many''boards'' in the blind woodpile.
"I" see said the blind person to another blind person
thanks
I am in process daily, learning to stand in trust for Father to lead not me Luke 21:14-15 to put behind me everything that is past
Past is so fast, I could not even blink an eye


Authorized (King James) Version

Phil 3:12-15

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

As a matter of fact
Nothing can separate anyone from the love of God, given to all through Son at that one tine willing dead, done once for everyone to choose to believe God or not in risen Son for them to be new. Choose believe and see
It can take a while after going through tribulations first, I did, and still accept can still go through more, while her on earth
Thanks